Community Corner

Public Hearing on Sale of 19.67 Acres Draws Support, Criticism

Supporters say sale would benefit the town, while critics believe the land is more valuable and should be kept.

A referendum will be held next week in Middlefield where voters will decide the future of a nearly 20-acre property along Powder Hill Road.

About two dozen residents gathered at the Middlefield Community Center on Tuesday night for a second public hearing on a proposed deal between the town and local resident Lori Vogel-Brown, who's offered to buy the one-time Powder Ridge ski area parcel for $300,000.

"We live here. We have deep roots here. We love Middlefield," Vogel-Brown said.

In a brief presentation to the audience, the 29-year Middlefield resident described her intention of maintaining the property as an extension of her horse farm, which is located at 111 Powder Hill Road. Vogel-Brown's farm sits adjacent to the property currently owned by the town, which is just west of the ski area.

"I'm so worried about something getting built on that property that just destroys it and his is why I'm stepping up," Vogel-Brown said. "I'm 54 years old. I'm remortgaging my house just so that I can keep these fields the way they are."

Under terms of the proposed sales agreement, the front portion of the 19.67 acre property would be subject to a conservation easement, limiting Vogel-Brown to using it only for agricultural purposes. She would also be restricted from building a barn larger than 5,000 square feet on the front piece of the property, nearest to Powder Hill Road.

Although the deal would allow her to build a single home on the rear portion of the property, Vogel-Brown said she has no intention of building a house there.

Middlefield first selectman Jon Brayshaw said if voters approve the deal, the $300,000 sale price would go directly towards paying down the town's $2.3 million debt on Powder Ridge.

"If the taxpayers want to have less interest paid they would want the $300,000 placed on the mortgage. It's simple," Brayshaw said. "If you want to keep it as open space than you will pay more in the mortgage."

Taxpayers would pay about $8,000 in interest each year alone if the property is not sold, he said.

Residents expressed support and criticism over the deal.

Resident Ellen Waff, who serves as Middlefield's treasurer, said that while Vogel-Brown's unsolicited offer had been discussed for months in executive session between selectmen, details of the deal were not made public prior to the first public hearing in April.

"No one had any idea about what was being decided until that public hearing," she said.

Powder Hill Road resident Lars Selberg spoke in favor of the sale. Selling the property would put the land back into agricultural use, he said.

"I feel very much that agricultural use of property is open space," Selberg said.

Susan Maloney-Pringal, who lives at 113 Powder Hill Road, said the property should be kept by the town and once again accused her neighbors of running a commercial construction company out of their home.

"I have a serious problem selling our open space, the last of it, to people who have no respect for the land," she said. Maloney-Pringal suggested the referendum be canceled.

Salsberg responded to Maloney-Pringal's personal criticism of the couple by pointing out that not only did he consider the Brown's good neighbors, he said Jay Brown volunteered to plow local streets for the town during a recent snow storm.

"I think that counts for a lot," he said.

Vogel-Brown's attorney, John Corona, attempted to answer concerns that the contract would leave the town without any open space from Middlefield 2007's purchase of Powder Ridge and therefore would fail to meet the requirements of that year's referendum which passed overwhelmingly.

"I think it was pretty widely understood by the voters that taking the development rights away from Powder Ridge was the open space that you were getting," he said. 

"I think the people deserve the last 20 acres," said Marianne Corona.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23 at the Middlefield Community Center. Additional details, including the proposed sales agreement, are available at Middlefield Town Hall.

Related articles

Selectmen Agree to Sell Former Powder Ridge Property to Neighbor

Proposed Sale of 19.67 Acres Comes Under Heavy Scrutiny

Middlefield PZC Approves Powder Ridge Split [VIDEO] 

Selectman's Illness Delays Decision on Divided Powder Ridge Parcel

Selectman: Middlefield to Keep Piece of Powder Ridge Property


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